DUSK
by Olierihy
Summary: The twenty-second of February had marked the day everything changed. Sirens sounded within all cities. It was a sound no one ever wanted to hear. It was the sound of chaos. The long, moaning, howls, of sirens, drew one thing to everyone's attention; We were not alone. They were not here to save us.
1. DUSK

**A/N:** Here is my attempt at a Goku x OC fic. This will contain some darker themes and while Goku will be in character, for the most part, I will be playing around with some darker undertones in terms of his personality. Thanks for reading, let me know what you think! Enjoy/ Rated M just in case/ **Also working on a new chapter of MAGNETISM!**

* * *

 **DUSK**

* * *

There had been strange happenings lately. At first, it was as subtle as a soft breeze simply caressing the towns and cities all over the world. Townsfolk and city slickers alike whispered here and there, spreading rumors of creatures that stayed hidden in the shadows. Some said they were nothing but propaganda, a hoax even, putting to shame and invalidating eye witnesses.

It was said the strange creatures were human-like beings that had fallen from the sky in strange, round, pods. Some folks preached the beings were here to save humanity, that this would be the beginning of a golden era. Though, for those who had seen the strange folk, it was certain their presence was dark and laced with a much more sinister intent.

Whispers of isolated events started in the rural countryside. Strange disappearances were soon followed by scenes of violence until the circumstances grew into a trend that spread to the outer reaches of all major city limits. It was as if a strange fog had settled over the world. Each day it seemed the news continued to grow darker as the events continued to nip the heels of society.

The twenty-second of February had marked the day everything changed. Sirens sounded within all cities. It was a sound no one ever wanted to hear, as it was the sound of panic. It was the sound of chaos. The long, moaning, howls, of sirens, drew one thing to everyone's attention; We were not alone. They were not here to save us.

* * *

It had been two months since all cities had frantically been closed off to the outside world. The mandatory order had caused outrage until the first attack on my city had occurred. I tapped my pen anxiously on my desk as the events flashed through my mind.

I could still hear the screams of terrified civilians as panic gripped the city. I still saw the broken bodies that had been carelessly strewn all over the roads. I still felt the near crippling anxiety from time to time, and above all else, I could still hear the deep growl like sounds and ominous cackles of the beings who'd descended from the sky and brought destruction to the planet I called home.

A deep shiver ran down the length of my spine and I quickly jumped up and away from my desk. I had to shake my thoughts somehow and it seemed the sudden movement brought me back to the present.

I wrapped my gray cardigan tighter around my body as I looked around my small, lonely, studio apartment. It was a mess. And though the lack of motivation was in part due to the trauma I'd experienced, the real reason was because if I picked up the pieces, I really would be faced with accepting the reality of the situation.

Most my family and friends had been victims that day. There was a part of me that felt like I didn't deserve to go on if they couldn't. As if I would be cleaning them away too, like putting a box of much-loved trinkets away in the attic.

The windows of my ground level studio were all boarded up, preventing daylight or prying eyes into my home. A deep sigh turned into a quiet sob as I numbly began to pick a few things up off the floor. I had to figure out a way to pull myself out of this head space. I was slowly going crazy from relative isolation. Something needed to change.

The thought of venturing outside had been crossed my mind for weeks now. I desperately needed to somehow get groceries and at least check on my neighbors. I had been hearing that even though the city was secure, the strange disappearances were still happening within the city walls.

It was a mystery. And whether it was fueled by facts or rumors, I wasn't sure. Either way, I didn't want to find out. A loud groan from my stomach made my decision for me. The need for food was simply too great and so it seemed I would be throwing caution to the wind to find something to eat.

Drying my tears I slipped on some shoes and bundled up as warmly as I could. While spring was on its way, the fog that covered the city made me feel like winter was going to be a permanent resident. I grimaced at the thought but pushed forward, anxiously making my way to the front door. I stared at the locks for a few minutes before nervously unlocking and opening the door.

The door creaked open, and what I saw before me was a sight for sore eyes. To my relief there at least some souls who seemed unaffected by circumstances. I watched two blue birds eagerly peck at the ground. Seeing nature gave a little more confidence than I had before as I slipped out of my apartment.

Tentative steps turned into bolder strides as I edged myself out onto One Hundred and Thirty-First Avenue and Lancewood Street. The neighborhood certainly felt abandoned as debris from both fallen houses and vehicles were everywhere. The scene before me reminded me of images I'd seen of tornado aftermath. Only little was standing and most looked liable to collapse at the slightest touch. Casting a glance back the way I'd come, I reminded myself how lucky I was.

After slinking through a few neighborhood alleyways, I was surprised that I made it to the store unharmed. I felt even greater surprise when my eyes met the sight of packaged food. While it wasn't fresh or wholesome by any means, it was something to eat and it almost felt too good to be true.

Filling my arms to the brim, I silently cursed myself for not thinking to bring a bag of some sort. And while I was currently the only person here that didn't mean this place would still be full the next time I returned. To think I would be the only scavenger out here would be foolish.

And so I cautiously made my way back home with an ever-growing sensation of being watched. I did my best to nullify my anxiety, but not knowing what time of day it was only caused my anxiety to worsen when I realized dusk was fast approaching.

Instinctively, I looked began to look at my surroundings and jumped a few times as the growing shadows began to play tricks on my mind. Was there someone out there? Someone?

Not wanting to find out I quickened my pace until I was almost running back to the only safe haven I knew. I was glad the entrance to my studio was somewhat tucked back under the stairs and around the corner, for the thought of being out of plain sight was comforting.

Skidding to as gracefully of a halt as I could manage I stopped just shy of my street corner, cautiously taking another good look around. The feeling of eyes on me was becoming overwhelming. And while I wasn't sure if it was just my paranoia, if my gut was right I didn't want whatever it was following me back home.

Though as I scanned the broken neighborhood, I still only saw fragments of houses and inanimate objects. No cats, no dog, no humans…

When my stomach gave another growl I forced myself to push the feeling aside. A lonely street lamp flickered to life signaling curfew. Swallowing nervously, I ducked into my studio apartment as fast and quietly as I could manage.

With both feet past the threshold, I turned around to close the door. Hands ready on the locks, I cast one final glance outside. I really wish I hadn't. There, at the end of the sidewalk on the other side of the street stood a tall figure whose features were concealed in shadows.

My heart skipped a few beats as involuntary tears immediately began to stream from my eyes. The feeling of terror of the unknown induced such anxiety that before I could even catch myself, I slammed the door as fast as I could, not caring about how far the sound might travel.

I jumped away from the door and instinctively found the darkest, most secure corner I could find in my tiny home. And there, in the dark, I waited tensely as I tried to reason that all I had seen was nothing more than a shadow. The longer I waited huddled in the corner, the more I began to believe that I was just losing it.

Uncurling from my near fetal position on the floor, I finally regained composure enough to reach for a bag of food hoping that perhaps eating a little something would help calm my body and mind. And just when I opened the bag and took my first bite of its contents, a loud, abrasive, crash, rattled my bones when something hit my front door with such a force I thought the door would burst open.

I fought the urge to scream, nearly choking on my food from how alarmingly loud the sound had been. With my heart pounding in my chest, I didn't know what to do when I saw the front door handle jiggle. There was nowhere I could go, nowhere else to hide!

Closing my eyes, I did my best to try to press myself closer to the wall in the hopes that I'd just become part of it. The idea of facing whatever was on the other side of my front door was simply out of the question, even though it seemed apparent that fate had finally caught up with me.

The final thought of being with those I loved again seemed my only solace. Tears streamed down my face as the front door to my modest home flew open, nearly coming off the hinges. That time, my hands flew over my mouth but not before I had let out a scream.

I couldn't control my breathing when I heard solid footsteps coming closer and closer to the spot where I had attempted to conceal myself. Burying my face into my cardigan, I sobbed as quietly as I could.

It didn't matter though, for whoever it was already knew full well that I was there, as the sound of footsteps stopped right before me. I refused to look up, cursing myself for trembling so hard. The few minutes of silence was nearly all I could take as I anxiously awaited the end.

However, it never came. And to my surprise, a gentle touch was enough to coax me to finally raise my tearful green eyes up to meet the stranger in the dark. Slowly, I allowed myself to look up from the floor to the huge arms that blocked my view of my front door and guided me to finally look into the gray orbs of the being that peered down at me. The rest of the details were lost as a fluttering of uneasiness flowed through me when the stranger's voice cut through the darkness.

"Sorry…" A soft yet masculine voice spoke out, " I didn't mean to frighten you… I easily forget my strength." He continued, hesitantly laugh at his own words.

The being stayed crouched over my small frame for a few more moments before he seemed to realized that perhaps a little bit of breathing room would be appreciated. Standing up, he took a few steps back before putting his hands on his hips and leaned his head to the left, all the while continuing to look at me and the room he found himself in.

Even in the dim lighting, I could tell he was tall and well muscled, though I was in for a surprise when the light was suddenly flipped on. I quickly shut my eyes to shield them from the abrasive yellow glow that enveloped the room, wondering how that had happened. The light switch was across the apartment by the kitchen sink and the best of my knowledge, I hadn't even seen the being move.

As I heard him tinker with my belongings and the sound of the fridge open, curiosity won out when I finally lifted my eyes once more to see who I was in company with. To say I was gobsmacked was beyond an understatement. As I looked up and down the miraculous form of the stranger who'd burst in on me, I felt slight panic, or maybe twisted relief, that even though there was certainly something alien about him, I might be ok with this handsome stranger being the last thing I ever see.

Beginning to feel faint at the odd turn of events, I took in the wild state of his jet black hair, as well as the bright, charming smile that beamed at me from my kitchen. I had just enough time to register the concerned expression that formed as my body gave out and stressed finally managed to catch up to me. It was too much. And as I fell into unconsciousness a small part of me wondered if fate had perhaps been kind after all?

* * *

 **A/N:** Should I keep going? What did y'all think?


	2. DAWN

**A/N:** Here is the next chapter! I have a specific idea in mind, so bear with me while I get the next few chapters out. To the guest who left the review saying I should turn this into a Saiyan princess fic….Thank you kindly for your input, but I think that idea is sooo beyond overused that there isn't room for creativity….so not happenin' captain! Not my jam / I recommend you write one yourself? Maybe? I'm just...Saiyan...heh.

Anyway, to those of you who stick with this story, Thank you for reading! Enjoy!

* * *

 **DUSK**

02

* * *

There was something so surreal about how I was feeling. There was a strange sensation of warmth that enveloped me into the most wonderful hug I had felt in so long. In fact, it was a warmth so familiar that I was coaxed out of unconsciousness, opening my eyes to be greeted by the sight of sweet sunlight streaming through my windows.

A welcome sight yes, but it didn't take long before a sense of panic welled within my chest. I jumped up from my small couch, frantically looking around my apartment. All of the boards I'd used to cover the windows had been taken down. Without giving anything else much of a thought I stumbled from the couch, scrambling over to the boards that oddly sat in a neat pile.

"No, no, no, no…" I began to mutter, head shaking my head back and forth.

This was not ok.

I shook with nervousness and rage all at the same time as my memories from last night began to all flash before my eyes. It was in that very moment that a rather charming voice spoke up behind me.

"Hey I just took those down, what are you putting them back up for?"

I gasped, startled where I sat.

Wide eyed and unsure of what to do, I felt like a deer caught in headlights as I whipped my head around to see who had spoken. My hands shook as I gripped the board, my nails bit into the wood when my eyes landed on the bemused expression of the mysterious stranger who had burst into my humble abode last night.

My first reaction was, of course, a healthy dose of fear as I let my eyes travel down his imposing form. Though I'd be a liar if I denied that seeing him in the light made me fear him just a wee bit less due to his otherwise handsome features. Not what I had expected from an alien whose race was here to purge the planet I called home.

He was tall and most certainly sturdy given his well-built frame. For the most part, his race wasn't very much different from mine save the for jet black, wild, gravity defying hair that stuck out in every direction, and the almost black irises that stared back at me. I felt my face flush when he flashed me a bright smile. Breaking eye contact, I scowled as I looked back down at the board I still held onto while I tried to find my voice.

"Why did you take these down? I needed these to stay up!" I said, Slowly finding the courage to cautiously stand.

I changed a glance at him only to see him cock his head to one side and take a bite of an apple.

"Hmm, why? You look like you could use some sunshine anyway."

His perfectly sharp, white, teeth took another bite into the only damn apple I had in my possession. Anger swirled within me as I finally locked eyes with the rude man in front of me.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?! Do you have any idea what I risked to get that apple?!"

I threw the board down and was about to march up to get in his face when he suddenly in mine, faster than I could even begin to comprehend. To say it was intimidating was have been a gross understatement as staring into those impossibly dark eyes struck fear into me all over again.

My chest rose and fell with increasing anxiety as he stared me down as he took another bite of the apple.

"What are you going to do about it?" He taunted

Now that he was so close I could see just how thick his muscles were and I was reminded of just how small I was compared to his hulking frame. And as the sun continued to stream in from behind him, I had no doubt that his shadow enveloped mine completely.

When I said nothing he backed off and finished the apple in what must have only been three bites. Flashing me another smile, he turned on his heels to continue to raid my fridge shamelessly. Who the hell did he think he was?! First, he came to my planet and...and..oh yeah, that's right...he was an alien from outer space who apparently could do whatever the fuck he wanted.

My fists balled up at my sides and I watched him continue to consume all the food I had risked my life to bring home. I silently cursed myself for allowing hunger to drive me out into the open last night. Had I not, perhaps this weirdo wouldn't have gotten any bright ideas.

"HEY!" I yelled, rushing over to try to close the fridge. "You can't just come in here and eat all my food! I don't have much of anything at all!"

He briefly raised a brow at me and my pathetic attempts to remove him from my fridge.

"Heh. Yea, I can see that." Was his dry response.

He didn't budge as I continued to try my hardest to push him out of the way. I angrily stomped one of my feet and turned around to try and use my legs as leverage. But it was to no avail. The sound of laughter filled my ears before I felt slack, almost falling to the ground when he finally moved.

"Alright, that was pretty cute. No wonder everyone was so easy to take out. You humans have no strength at all. I guess I'll help you find food though. I'm pretty hungry myself and this…" He looked back into the fridge, "This isn't going to work for me."

A strong pat on the back sent me stumbled forward toward the ground right after I had just composed myself. A small oops left his mouth as he went out of his way to help right my footing.

I was left feeling dumbfounded at his words. Why would he want to help me?

I watched him walk over the front door. He briefly paused, looking down at the evidence of his strength. It was clear now in the daylight that the door had splintered where the lock had been busted. He brought a hand up to scratch the back of his head before looking back at me from over his shoulder.

"Eh, sorry about your door again. I'll try to control my strength. You coming with me or what?"

"Yes. I mean, no…I...ugh, just wait a minute!"

Frustration was evident on his face for a brief moment.

"I want to but…" I looked around at my small studio apartment, eyes wander to the windows, " I'm not sure if it's safe out there for me. And why are you helping me? I don't feel good about this at all, to be honest. You and your buddies are responsible for destroying my home. I don't know-"

Again, he was suddenly in front of me, but this time his expression was kind. It threw me for one hell of a loop when he suddenly scooped me up and began to walk outside, ignoring my protests.

"HEY PUT ME DOWN THIS ISN'T OK! HELP-" I began to holler before I was rather unceremoniously dumped onto the ground. "Hey, ouch!"

"Relax, this isn't a trap. You can yell all you want but you and I are the only two beings within a 100-mile radius so…" He trailed off before stalking off in no direction in particular.

His words shook me all the way to the core of my being.

"What…? What do you mean? What about my neighbors I-"

"Dead. From the smell, it's been about a week." There was no emotion in his voice

I felt like I was going to panic as tears began to well within my eyes. Why hadn't I been brave enough to check in on them? Maybe I could have helped them in some way? Was it because they didn't have enough food, water, basic needs-

"Hey perk up, you're alive! Though, you won't be much longer if we don't get some food in you."

My thoughts had been interrupted but the tears had already begun to flow. For half a moment, I wondered how if I even deserved to go find food knowing the fate of the people who had been so kind to me. Emotions always turned my stomach off anyway. But something rough and warm grasped my hand and I was suddenly tugged forward and forced to move.

"Ugh C'mon I'm hungry and there will be time to grieve later. You're going to cry the weight you have left right off of you."

I jerked my hand away, suddenly feeling stubborn.

"Why do you care?! You were sent here to destroy everything and everyone! Why do you need me to accompany you? So you can kill me later? Forget it, you-"

"I'll pick you again." He took a step forward

"Don't touch me!" I hollered back, chest rising and fall.

I watched his shoulders slump slightly as his sharp teeth worried his bottom lip. If he weren't some psychopath it would have almost been cute. But it seemed my outburst wasn't enough to keep him away as I was slung over his shoulders without warning. Left only to pound on his back with my small fists.

"Honestly, you're right. I don't need you. I was sent here to help eradicate humans from this planet. But it's not like it was on my orders, did you ever think about that? And for the record, I don't care about you. I just met you. You're accompanying me because I said so and because everyone else has left. I'm just as stuck here as you are... and I'm hungry."

I ceased my actions immediately.

"What do you mean everyone else has left?" I asked, genuinely curious as to what he meant.

"What do you think? The Saiyans, my people, they left early this morning. The only reason I'm still here is that my pod is trashed and it's not like them to spare another pod for a third class warrior like me." He grunted. "If I put you down, will you stop freaking out?"

I mumbled a small yes and was placed back down before I cleared my throat and smoothed out my shirt.

"They really left you…?" I was still skeptical.

"Yea, don't rub it in. I'll just have to wait until the final raid a occurs, and secure one just before this planet is destroyed-"

"Wait, what?! Final raid? And what the hell do you mean-"

Once more, I found myself being stared down in an eerie way that reminded me of the fact that I was prey, nothing more.

"It means you don't have long to live unless you get on my good side, got it?"

I took a few steps back to put space between myself and the otherworldly terrorist I was more or less being forced to accompany. Quietly, I tried to let the gravity of his words sink in. It was such a beyond bizarre situation, to say the least. Finally, he relaxed and pushed his way through some rubble as I followed suit.

"So...can I at least know your name?" I asked.

There was a long moment of silence.

"Goku."

There was a small urge to comment on what a strange name that was, but I didn't dare open my mouth. While this guy was nice enough considering he could literally kill me anytime he wanted, I decided to thank him by not mentioning the oddity of his name. There was another long moment of silence.

"And your name is…?" He questioned, give me a once over from over his shoulder as we continued to walk.

"Lauren." My answer was an equally as short as his.

In the back of my mind, I wondered why I had even bothered to ask his name. He was probably going to kill me in the end anyway once I helped him locate food. Knowing death's name was as comforting as it was terrifying.

"Well, Lauren, where the hell do we find food around here?"


	3. HIGH NOON

**A/N:** Thank you all for your patience and thank you for the recent reviews as well. Here is the next chapter. I was feeling unusually creative today and this surprisingly was written out all in one go! Hope you enjoy and thank you so much for reading :)

 **Warnings:** language, mild violence.

* * *

 **DUSK**

03

* * *

The sun sat high in the sky as I reluctantly continued to follow Goku. For that, I was thankful as it was highly uncomfortable when his eyes were on me. First and foremost due to the fact that I felt like absolute pray under his scrutiny - and of course, because it was always intimidating to have a good looking man follow my every move.

ugh.

My anger was turning into you hanger with each hour that passed and I was seriously having a hard time matching his pace. I hadn't eaten a real meal in fuck knows how long, and my stamina was fading fast. My green eyes bore into his from behind as he lackadaisically meandered in front of me.

Everyone once in awhile he would kick a piece of rubble or rock around out of what I could only assume was boredom, all the while with his hands clasped behind his head. The sight was most aggravating and I found myself trying to think of ways to enact revenge for myself and this damn planet by killing this fool. Though I knew I wouldn't be successful and I wondered if he could feel my intent as he stopped in his tracks and waited for me to come alongside him.

If only…..

"Hey so how much longer? I'm getting pretty damn hungry. Where again did you say that restaurant or whatever it was used to be? I like, really, really need to eat so-"

"WOULD YOU STOP WHINING?!" I blurted out, rounding to stare up at him. "Did you ever consider how hard it is to recognized locations since you and your kind annihilated this whole fucking town?"

I was surprised to see mild shock on his face before a rather amused expression took over.

"Also, do you have any idea how long it's been since I've eaten?! You can clearly see how thin I am and it's so BEYOND rude to throw your hunger in my face, as you clearly have plenty of muscle for your body to feed off of! You're literally making me accompany you, and slowly, this is killing me!"

I ran my eyes up and down his form before letting out a growl of frustration and stalked off to sit down on a large slab of concrete that had been upheaved from the ground. Bits of earth still clung to its underside, though it had long been dried out. It was only a reminder that I was headed the same direction as I closed my eyes and held my head in my hands. Between low blood sugar and anger, I was shaking.

I gasped when something heavy caused the slab to shift, and I found myself doing everything I could as to not fall over into the lap of the Saiyan who was now sitting beside me.

"You know...it's not going to get easier if you quit now. And honestly like I said before, I'm growing fairly impatient with these outbursts of yours…"

I refused to look over at him and it rebellion turned my back to him. I knew I was playing with fire, but in this moment I didn't really give a fuck. I knew my outbursts were justified. Nobody could tell me otherwise. I felt him poke at my back as to try to elicit some type of movement from me.

"Oh yeah? Well, maybe I don't like how you are bullying me into doing what you want-"

Without warning, I heard a huff as I was again hoisted over Goku's shoulder and carried off like a prize of war. I dug my nails into his back but was sorely disappointed when he barely even hissed at the action. What was this guy made of?

"Hey! What the hell?! I told you, don't touch me!" I yelled, unable to move an inch in his grasp.

"Be thankful. At least you don't have to use those pretty little legs of yours, right? Just direct me where food is and enjoy the free ride."

I flailed around for a few more minutes until I realized my struggle was of no use. It didn't phase him one bit. I let out a sigh of defeat and went limp, finally allowing myself to simply dangle as he asked which way to turn and what street he should be looking for next.

"See, this isn't so bad is it?" He taunted.

"Uh huh…" I mumbled, feeling like a sack of potatoes. I was thoroughly unimpressed with the amount of cockiness I was detecting as for all I knew, he could have been staring at my ass this whole time. "Can you put me down now? This is honestly starting to hurt my stomach."

"Nope, not till we get there!"

I groaned as I tried to maneuver into a position where his shoulder wasn't digging into my ribs. There was something so self-approving in his tone that I considered trying to knee him in the stomach just to see if I could. Though to my surprise, I suddenly found myself tucked against his chest with only one of his huge arms looped underneath me.

Panic set in as I silently cursed myself for making such an absurd comment. If I hadn't then I wouldn't be so close to his perfect fucking face. I should have kept my mouth shut. This new position was way too intimate for my liking and I was frozen, like a deer caught in headlights as he continued onward.

Finally, the smell of something delicious filled the air. My mouth began to watering almost immediately and I tried to rack my brain as to which building could have possibly survived the chaos. Upon rounding a corner my gaze fell upon a sight for sore eyes. While the building has most certainly sustained damage during the raids, it was surprisingly more than less intact.

"No way…" I whispered.

A steady stream of smoke was billowing from the chimney, no doubt responsible for carrying the amazing smell of food toward us. I felt my eyes water with happiness and did everything I could to stop myself from bursting out in tears. How embarrassing would that be? Refusing to blink, I swallowed the lump in my throat before I attempted to speak.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my Saiyan captor briefly close his own eyes and take a deep breath, sniffing at the air.

"Now that smells like good cooking! I think this will do just fine!"

A large smile was plastered on Goku's face as he wasted no time marching up to the building like he owned the place. I sense of dread suddenly formed in the pit of my stomach as we rapidly approached the doors. Worry thoughts began to spin in my head

"Goku, wait-" I began

"Shh-"

"No, you can't just barge in here. People aren't going like- Hey!" I was silenced when his free hand covered my mouth and barged into the place without any regard as to where I could have possibly been trying to say.

My sense of anxiety grew two-fold as I stared wide-eyed at the few folks who were currently sat at the bar. Most of the tables at been destroyed or otherwise were covered in dust. The silence grew thick in the air as shocked, scared, and angry faces locked their eyes upon the two of us.

This didn't seem to phase Goku one bit as he confidently walked up to the bar. A couple people wasted no time in moving out of his way. And as a result, I pleasantly placed upon on stool as he stood beside me.

The tension was thick in the air as Goku looked around the place before finally settling his dark eyes on the man behind the counter. I didn't miss the flicker of fear in the man's before he did his best to cover it up. I'm sure Goku didn't miss it either.

"What do you have to eat?"

It was a simple question, though there was great hesitation on the other man's part to respond. It almost looked as though he was grappling with whether or not he would serve him. I watched the way he clenched the rag in hand as he stared back at the Saiyan beside me.

"That depends..."

"Oh yea, on what?" Goku inquired.

I was unsure of his tone.

"Do you have cash?"

The man swallowed as he looked at the Saiyan and I. Goku only raised a brow and cocked his head at the man before him, still staring him down.

"I'm s-sorry sir, but if you don't have cash I can't-"

Faster than I could follow, Goku had the man by the collar of his already ripped shirt with an all too eerie yet charming smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"You think for one-second money makes any lick of difference when your world is literally falling apart? How is it going to benefit you now?"

I heard whispers behind me and glanced over my shoulder to see a group of three men huddled together in a growlingly devious manner. I looked back at Goku who was all too focused on the shaking man behind the counter. I swallowed hard when I realized how dangerous this situation could become as Goke forcibly made the man look at me.

"You see this girl?" He nodded quickly. I could see the fear in his sad, blue, eyes. "She hasn't eaten in weeks. Do her a favor and make her something, will you? And while you're at it, make me something as well. Your payment will be me sparing your life."

The man almost lost his balance when Goku suddenly let go of his shirt. He trembled while trying to put on a brave front before disappearing into what I assumed was the kitchen.

"And don't try to run! I'll find you all too easily." The Saiyan hollered after him.

I sat just as wide-eyed as ever when Goku seemed to snap out of it and offered me a semi-warm smile. I didn't return it as I patiently waited to see if our new chef would actually feed us after his life had been threatened. Goku's smile faded when I fearfully continued to stare back at him.

"What?" He questioned, quirking an eyebrow at me. "Aw, C'mon don't look at me that way!"

"And why shouldn't she?!" A voice chimed in from behind us.

One of the three men stood up. He was older, beard graying, but never-the-less challenged the Saiyan. He glared at him, taking a few brave steps forward as Goku who sat with him back to the man. Slowly, he turned to face the newcomer, leaning one thick arm lazily against the bar.

"You are a monster and shouldn't be served. After everything you and your kind have put us through…" He lowered his tone, "You should be ashamed of yourself. You destroy our city, threaten a good man who didn't have to open his doors to anyone, and you take this poor, young, woman as a captive?"

"Save it for someone who cares, old man. Like the rest of you, I'm doing what I had been ordered to. And now, I'm just as hungry as the rest of you."

And with that, Goku turned his back to the group once more, impatiently tapping his fingers on the counter. He was clearly unimpressed with the shade being rightfully thrown at him. His words were disrespectful, to say the least, and I couldn't help but feel myself siding with the old man. I was thankful he was at least trying to stick up for me.

The vibe was growing more dangerous with every second that passed since we have walked through the door and I was feeling too close for any type of confrontation. My eyes began to dart around the room for any sign of an escape route should anything escalate. The man took another step forward.

I let out a shriek when I was suddenly pushed out the way. Annoyance was laden on Goku's face when the old man threw a fist at Goku. How he was able to anticipate the impending attack was beyond me, as it took all of two seconds for Goku to have the man in a headlock and completely render him useless.

Gasping for air as he attempted to throw Goku off, the Saiyan didn't budge an inch and raised his dark eyes to focus on the rest of the group who had suddenly found their feet. A smile emerged when it was all too obvious the other intended to attack him as well. It made me wonder if he was actually getting some form of pleasure out of this.

"Goku!" I pleaded, "Stop."

"Stay out of it, Lauren."

I covered my mouth with my hands as the others leaped at Goku. I watched the scene unfold before me. I would be a liar if I didn't admit that I had hoped this gang up would have been successful. However, I was left in shock when all the attacks were easily countered with little to no effort on Goku's part, and one-by-one, all of the men met the same fate.

The horrible sound of gurgling and sputtering filled my ears when Goku mowed each one of the men down. It all happened so quickly that I wasn't entirely sure how he was capable of getting away without even a scratch on him. I was even more shocked when he simply popped his neck in several places and then sat right back down as if nothing had happened.

My heart was beating rapidly against my ribcage and all I wanted was to flee. I felt sick after what I had just witnessed. The thought of being alone and away from him was the only thing that felt safe. A chill was sent down my spine when one of Goku's hand covered onto one of my knees.

Only slightly looking at me, he shook his head silently. Had he been able to sense my panic? My thoughts were spinning as I wondered what else he was capable of doing.

Just then the sound of silverware clattering noisily to the ground elected a startled gasp from me. Goku chuckled at my nervousness and gave my knee a pat before finally removing his hand. Whether it had due to cooking or perhaps he was hard of hearing, the man who Goku had ordered food from was seeing the damage for the first time.

Looking over at Goku, it took him a few moments of shock before he scrambled to quickly bring the plates of food he had prepared out to us.

To my dismay, I found myself looking at steak. Not because I didn't like it, but rather as I looked back what the heap of bodies behind me, I found myself with an appropriate lack of appetite. The juices of the looked all too similar to the blood that was oozing from one of the victim's nose.

"Wow this looks delicious, thank you!" Goku beamed with the most cheery smile I'd ever seen on him.

To say I was confused would have been a gross understatement. The switch in character had me wondering just how sane this Saiyan was. His disposition was completely different from what I had just witnessed moments before and well, the entire time I had been around him really.

And even though I had a warm meal in front of me for what felt like the first time in forever, I found myself struggling to eat it as I watched the man next to me devour his. I was beginning to feel dizzy.

* * *

 _ **A/N**_ _:_

 **cat105:** Thank you so much for your review! I'm really glad you are enjoying this so far and I am definitely trying to bring in sense of realism given the circumstances of this fic! Thank you for touching on that :) It definitely might take Lauren a good long while to warm up to Goku, if she manages to stay alive at the end of it all. We shall see! And as for the author Malevolent Reverie yes I have read a few of her fics. She is by far excels at dark fics from what I've read, though I do need to explore more of her familiar with all of them! Thank you again for the review and hope you enjoyed this chapter!

 **Littlebrwk & animegirly13:** Thank you so much as well! I will try to get the next chapter posted asap! Already started playing with ideas :)


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